“This exhibition brings back to Strawberry Hill some of the most important masterpieces in Horace Walpole’s famous and unique collection for a once-in-a-lifetime exhibition. Horace Walpole’s collection was one of the most important of the 18th century. It was dispersed in a great sale in 1842. For the first time in over 170 years, Strawberry Hill can be seen as Walpole conceived it, with the collection in the interiors as he designed it, shown in their original positions.”

This past week’s Downton Abbey had its usual witty remarks from all quarters, Violet yet again leading the pack. But my favorite by far came from Mrs. Patmore, as she says to Ethel:

“Anyone who has use of their limbs can make a salmon mousse.”

************

My mother-in-law always made salmon mousse – I cannot recall a single family gathering where it was not upon the table, eye and all – and to keep me from forgetting these family gatherings, I actually inherited her much-used salmon mousse mold – but alas! have not put it to any use, despite having all limbs in fairly good working order.

But recipes abound if you should want to try – and if Ethel could pull this off, it should be easy sailing:

This is from the website Downton Abbey Cooks, worth a visit for the show’s food history and great recipes [there IS a great deal of cookikng and eating!], all from Pamela Foster, author of Abbey Cooks Entertain:

This sandwich adds a lovely punch of color to your tea tray, contrasting dark pumpernickel bread with deep orange smoked salmon. The Ritz London serves a similar version with whisky, but I like the fresh flavors of vodka and dill. You are only limited by your imagination.

Ingredients

1/3 cup non fat greek yoghurt

1 tbsp. minced chives

2 tbsp. whisky

4 ounces smoked salmon

1 1/2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

For the Sandwiches

12 slices dark wheat or pumpernickel bread, crusts removed

2 ounces cold smoked salmon, cut into strips: you can also use hot smoked salmon as pictured above

Method

To make the mousse

Put the greek yoghurt, chives, vodka, salmon, lemon juice and pepper in a food processor and process for 20 to 30 seconds or until smooth. Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days to let the flavours blend.

To make the sandwiches

Roll the bread slices flat with a rolling pin . Spread the salmon mousse on one side of each slice and arrange pieces of smoked salmon on top. Roll up and place seam side down on a serving plate. Cover with a damp tea towel or paper towels until ready to serve.

You can make larger pinwheels by cutting in half diagonally and stand on the flat edge. You can also cut into smaller bite sized 2 inch angled sections.

Makes 12 large or 24 mini pinwheels

**************

Here are links to other recipes, some made in the mold, some in bowls:

Perhaps Ethel’s praise-worthy attempts to be a cook who actually cooks something edible and Mrs. Patmore’s kindness in helping, despite the grousing of Mr. Carson, might indeed see “the return of the salmon mousse,” even in my house.

Last week, Downton Abbey ended with Carson singing a song while polishing the silver, quite jovial over hearing the positive prognosis for Mrs. Hughes. We can wonder at the plot turn – there have been previous intimations that Hughes and Carson should somehow hook up and exert even greater control over downstairs life – they do after all seem to genuinely care about and respect each other … but who knows what direction this shall all take – but just want to append the words of the song he was singing – a sure clue in this alone:

The song is titled “Dashing Away with the Smoothing Iron” – “a traditional English folk song written in the 19th century about a housewife carrying out her linen chores” [wikipedia]:

‘Twas on a Monday morning
When I beheld my darling
She looked so neat and charming
In every high degree She looked so neat and nimble, O
A-washing of her linen, O

Our very own Janeite Mae filled my inbox today with the welcome news that Masterpiece Theatre has announced the BBC Emma dates for 2010! Here is the press release from PBS: [and thank you Mae, for the heads-up!]

BBC Worldwide Sales and Distribution and WGBH today announced co-productions of two star-studded dramas: the beloved classic, Emma, and the sequel to BAFTA-winning and Emmy-nominated drama Cranford, Cranford 2. Both programs will make their U.S. premiere in early 2010 on WGBH’s MASTERPIECE CLASSIC on PBS.

Commented Susanna Pollack, SVP, Sales & Distribution and Children’s, BBC Worldwide, Americas, “Following Cranford’s success in the U.S. and UK, we are excited to be working with WGBH again to bring its sequel, Cranford 2, as well as the Jane Austen’s classical tale, Emma, to audiences next year.”

“Our viewers have been clamoring for more Jane Austen and more Judi Dench,” said MASTERPIECE executive producer Rebecca Eaton “These new productions add up to a very strong MASTERPIECE CLASSIC season in 2010.”

The BAFTA-winning and Emmy-nominated drama, Cranford, starring Dame Judi Dench (Notes on a Scandal, Shakespeare in Love), Imelda Staunton (Vera Drake, Fingersmith), Francesca Annis (Jane Eyre, Reckless), and Eileen Atkins (Scenes of a Sexual Nature, Gosford Park), returns as a two-part sequel, Cranford 2. The original drama chronicled a small Cheshire market town in the early 1840s on the cusp of great change. The BBC and WGBH co-production in association with Chestermead Ltd, picks up the story in 1844. New faces coming to the close-knit town include Jonathan Pryce (Pirates of the Caribbean), Tom Hiddleston (Wallander), and Tim Curry (Spamalot). Based on the novels by Elizabeth Gaskell, Cranford 2 is written by Heidi Thomas (I Capture the Castle, Madame Bovary).

Other shows announced for the early 2010 lineup are:

A Small Island [based on the Orange Prize winning novel by Andrea Levy]

Romola Garai as Emma and Johdi May as Miss Taylor[Ms. May was in the The Mayor of Casterbridge (2003) with Ciaran Hinds

Jonny Lee Miller as Knightley[Miller also played Edmund Bertram in the Rozema Mansfield Park – this seems to always be left off his credits – we continue to live in hope that he will be as good a Knightley as Richard Armitage would have been!]

[above photographs from Pemberley.com]

and “dear” Mr. Elton will be played by Blake Ritson [who was Edmund Bertram in the 2007 Mansfield Park – are we sufficiently confused?!

And finally then there is Rupert Evans as Frank Churchill [Evans played Margaret Hale’s brother Frederick in North & South [with the aforementioned Richard Armitage…(sigh!)]

*******************************

PS: this added July 9, 2009 – the BBC has the trailer for this new Emma now available online. Go to the BBC site here, scroll through the carousel and click on “Emma” to view the trailer – quite lovely! [and thanks Mae for the heads-up!]

Masterpiece Classic on PBS will rebroadcast Sense and Sensibility in two parts, on February 1 and 8, 2009. Check local listings for the schedule in your area. Professor Joan Ray, JASNA Past President, will lead an onlinediscussion about the adaptation February 2-13 on the Barnes and Noble Classics Book Club website.

Barnes and Noble Book Clubs are free and open 24 hours a day. Use this link to join the discussion. Sign up is easy: click on the “Register” link (located in the upper left corner of the page, just above the “Classics” banner) and fill in the information when prompted.

Thomas Hardy’s “Tess of the d’Urbervilles premieres January 4th, 2009, launching a new season of MASTERPIECE CLASSIC, hosted by Laura Linney. Violated by one man, forsaken by another, Tess Durbeyfield (Gemma Arterton, Quantum of Solace; and as Elizabeth Bennet in Lost in Austen) is the spirited heroine, proving that love hurts but also survives. Hans Matheson (Dr. Zhivago) portrays her seducer, Alec, and Eddie Redmayne (Elizabeth: The Golden Age) stars as Angel, the idealistic man she loves.” [see Masterpiece.org for complete information and online viewing; check your local PBS stations for times]

[Thomas Hardy is my SECOND favorite writer (Austen of course taking the first place honors!), so very much looking forward to this adaptation. Will post a few thoughts on Hardy shortly….]

Like this:

Lady Helga at the Jane Austen Podnovel has announced that each week shall be dedicated to one of Austen’s “golden couples” with new videos posted everyday. She starts with Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy…

And Laurel Ann at Austenprose wants to know which of the film adaptations has captured best the Mr. Darcy of YOUR imagination (as Dear Jane leaves it up to each of her readers to decide!) See her post and vote!

But enough of Mr. Darcy …. who do YOU see as the next Mr. Knightley? Mags at Austenblog is rooting for Richard Armitage (and all the comments seem to concur!)…and I must indeed follow suit- I believe he was born for the role!

Which leads me to the PBS schedule for the upcoming Masterpiece Classics…a perfect winter adventure! and Dickens wins by a long shot! [please note that this is the full schedule from PBS; check your local listings for times]

January 4 and 11th: Tess of the D’Urbervilles [Thomas Hardy]

January 18 and 25th: Wuthering Heights [Emily Bronte]

Feb 1 and 8th: Sense and Sensibility (Jane Austen] – repeat from last season

February 15 and 22nd: Oliver Twist [Charles Dickens]

March 15 and 22nd: David Copperfield [Charles Dickens]

March 29 to April 26: Little Dorrit [Charles Dickens] ~ with Matthew MacFadyen!